California man arrested in anthrax mail hoax

Associated Press

Published 5:30 am, Thursday, October 30, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO — A California man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of sending hoax letters labeled "anthrax" to scores of media outlets, the FBI said Wednesday, warning that many of the threats may still be in the mail.

Marc M. Keyser, 66, sent more than 120 envelopes containing a compact disc that had a packet of sugar labeled "Anthrax Sample" along with a biohazard symbol, the FBI said in a news release. The CD was titled "Anthrax: Shock & Awe Terror."

Keyser was taken into custody without incident at his home in Sacramento on three counts of sending a hoax letter, the FBI said. At least some of the packages had Keyser's return address on them, said FBI agent Steve Dupre.

Keyser is being held at the Sacramento County jail and is expected to make his first court appearance today. It wasn't known Wednesday evening whether he had a lawyer.

None of the packets has so far tested positive for hazardous material, the agency said. Authorities did not say what was on the CD.

The investigation began after The Atlantic magazine received a letter Monday, Dupre said. The Charlotte Observer newspaper in North Carolina received an envelope Tuesday.

The letters were received Wednesday by at least one Sacramento television station, The San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper and the office of Republican Congressman George Radanovich in Modesto. A McDonald's restaurant in Sacramento also received a package.